Commercial insurance policies provide cover for buildings and property against all kinds of perils, but it is important to consider what it would cost to get your buildings reinstated following a total loss catastrophe such as a fire or major flood, and to ensure that your business insurance policy contains provisions to cover all the costs of reinstatement expenses.

If you under-estimate the total rebuilding costs of your commercial premises when initially applying for cover, then following any future claim, any payouts agreed will be subject to reductions by what is called ‘average’.

Average will reduce the claim payout proportionally by the amount of under-insurance of the declared value from the actual current rebuilding costs. For example if your premises costs 150,000 to rebuild and you have declared the sum insured at 120,000, your claim will be reduced by a fifth.

If allowances are not made for all the costs of rebuilding, including those that may not at first be apparent, when applying for a commercial property insurance quote, then it is more than likely that the premises will be under-insured.

Commercial buildings cover may or may not include cover for fees for architects, surveyors or consultant engineers that may be required before rebuilding work can be commenced. These will usually work alongside any loss adjusters appointed by the insurer to minimise costs and agree any rebuilding proposals. Insurance companies will not pay rates for fees above those set by the governing professional trade bodies.

It is important to establish whether professional fees are included in the policy cover and if not, add an amount to cover these to the declared sum insured. When doing so be aware that these professions usually charge a very high hourly rate, and inflation should be allowed for.

Another area that can often cause disagreement between an insured and an insurance company following total loss of the premises, is that of debris removal and clearance of the site in preparation to rebuild.

Most commercial policies will include a section outlining the insurance companies responsibility as regards the insured premises site clearance and debris removal. This typically includes cover for dismantling and demolishing buildings, shoring and propping up dangerous or adjacent buildings and site clearance. More often than not the amount for this is included in the sum insured, in which case this should be calculated and also added in to the rebuilding cost at proposal.

Debris clearance can be extremely expensive, especially if for example hazardous building materials such as asbestos have to be removed, or if the site was storing chemicals or dangerous machinery that have to be treated and removed by specialist clean-up teams.

Have you ever wondered why most people don’t compare cheap car insurance quotes? Some people chose their insurance companies by asking family or friends for their company’s name. Other chose their insurance by going with the highly advertised names they heard on TV or the radio. But when asked if they ever compare car insurance quotes, many individuals just give you a weird look like you asked them something strange or ridiculous.

Many have been with their insurance brokers for so long they’ve become close friends. Others will tell you they never speak to the same broker twice because the company is so large they don’t get personal service anymore. It’s come to the point where receiving a letter or bill in the mail is the only correspondence we get from our insurance companies. Think about it folks, when was the last time you received a call or letter from your insurance broker letting you know that your rates were going to be lowered because you’ve been driving well this year? OK, stop laughing I was just trying to make a point.

Nowadays, anyone can go online and compare cheap car insurance quotes before deciding on which company to buy insurance from. It’s no longer necessary to pay the same rates every year without any chance of having your rates lowered. Why do insurance companies raise our rates the first chance they get? My insurance was raised after having a 10 year clean record because I was involved in an auto accident that was proven to be the other guys fault. It was explained to me that my rates went up because I was now considered to be a high risk. Well, I immediately asked where my discount was for my past 10 years of safe driving. You guessed right; the phone went quiet and I was put on hold to speak with a supervisor. After that experience, I found out that many online services would offer me a number of different rates from various insurance companies making it much easier and faster for me to make my decision for buying insurance for my car.

It’s time for all of us to wise up and decide to compare cheap car insurance quotes from other companies. Getting the best rates is now a choice we can make by educating ourselves on which companies are offering the lowest rates in our area for the year and specific model car we drive. Don’t be fooled into thinking that dealing with large national insurance companies will get you automatic discounts and the lowest rates because they have so many customers.

When it comes to comparing the free car insurance quotes obtained online, most car owners just compare prices. Yes, it is important that you walk away with an affordable price, but cost is not the only factor you should consider when seeking cheap car insurance.

Once you have all of your cheap auto insurance quotes in an easy-to-compare format, which most comparison websites automatically compile them into; it is time to examine the coverage.

Get Enough Coverage: Sometimes, opting for your state’s minimum requirements for auto insurance is not enough. A newer car, one that you owe more money on, needs additional protection. Cheap car insurance is nothing but a waste of money in the end if you do not get the coverage you need.

Check the History of the Company: In today’s economy, many businesses are quickly folding like a deck of cards. You do not want to pay for a year’s worth of car insurance only to have the company close in 2 months. For that reason, check their financial rating. Next, place a call to insurance company and ask any questions you can think of. Your goal is to test the customer service provided; it better be good! You can also read reviews online to see what current or former clients have to say.

In short, it is more than possible to find cheap, quality auto insurance. However, you cannot base your decision solely on price because this can be a costly mistake. Request free insurance quotes online and compare quality of service, coverage, and price. By doing so, you not only get affordable car insurance, but the best value for your money.